A new type of Wi-Fi hotspot could help those in remote locations get online; but this hotspot is different – it is mounted to a flying wind turbine.
Altaeros Energies, a Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) startup, is the firm behind the invention. The BAT-Buoyant Airborne Turbine is filled with helium, enabling it to rise from 1,000 – 2,000 feet in the air. It generates its own power using the wind, which is nearly twice as effective as traditional turbines.
Primarily, the turbines are designed to provide additional energy to remote locations, but they also act as Wi-Fi hotspots and have the potential to integrate with the cellular network, reports businessinsider.in. Altaeros has received a grant of $1.3 million from the Alaska Energy Authority so that the turbine can be tested there. If the trial is successful, the turbines could be rolled out across Alaska.
Adam Rein, a co-founder of Altaeros, comments on franchiseherald.com: “Although we hadn’t thought much about it at the time, Alaska seemed like a great fit.”
At the moment, many people who live in Alaska are essentially off the grid, so it’s difficult to deliver stable connectivity. Moreover, the turbine has the potential to shake up a market plagued with high energy prices.
